


Common Ground

by yihou



Series: To Rest By Your Side [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Nightmares, Pining, Pre-Slash, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Sharing a Bed, hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:09:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25637095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yihou/pseuds/yihou
Summary: “Dinner will be ready soon, so we can head down when you’re all dressed,” Dimitri said. He looked away from Dedue and finally noticed the beds, or lack thereof. A grimace crossed his face. “I apologize. I was under the impression there would be more beds.”Sylvain shrugged with a lazy smile. “Nah, it’s fine, Your Highness. We’ll all just have to get cozy.” He crossed the room in two steps and caught Felix with an arm slung around his shoulders, dampening his dry clothes. “It’ll just be like when we were kids. Do you still cling to whatever warm body is available?”Felix violently shoved his arm off. Was that a hint of red on his face? “That’s none of your concern. You’re sleeping with the boar.” In emphasis, he picked up his bag and joined Ashe by his bed, who looked startled but didn’t object to his presence otherwise.“Actually, I will take the floor.” Dimitri said.---Due to bad weather, the five male Blue Lions have to share an inn room with only two beds. Dedue thought it would be a simple arrangement, but Dimitri makes it complicated.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert & Dedue Molinaro, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Dedue Molinaro
Series: To Rest By Your Side [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858495
Comments: 15
Kudos: 77





	Common Ground

**Author's Note:**

> I have a bunch of indulgent Dedue and Dimitri fic ideas, but getting them out is another story. My sister suggested I write something shorter to complete a fic for once, so here we are. This was not supposed to be almost 7k words, but such is life. Shout out to my sister for looking this over, too.
> 
> This is my first time posting a fic here, so please let me know if I messed something up or if I should tag it differently.

The only good thing about the rain shower, Dedue mused afterwards, was that it waited until their battle had finished to begin.

Dark grey clouds had rolled in overhead as the Blue Lions cleared out the bandits’ hideout. The day grew dim to fit the mood, and warning raindrops glanced off Dedue’s exposed face. Just as the professor slew the last bandit, the heavens opened up and commemorated their victory with a torrent of rain.

The victors trudged off the battlefield onto the dirt road that was now mostly mud. The professor took point at the front of their group, her blue hair drenched and sticking to her face, and announced that they would take shelter in the small village not far from here. It would’ve been the bandits’ next target, so its villagers should be grateful enough to give them room and board for the night.

Half an hour later, the students stood in the lobby of the sole inn, dripping water and tracking in mud. The professor had left them to deliver the good news to the village head, which put Dimitri in charge to arrange rooming for the night.

He returned from the barkeep with two keys. “Unfortunately, other travellers saw the storm coming and took most of the rooms. They had only two left, so the men will stay in one and the women in the other.” He handed Mercedes one of the keys, and turned to Dedue with the other. “Here. I need to stable my horse, so you can go up first.”

With that, Dimitri, Ingrid, and Sylvain left to take care of their mounts, and the rest of the students headed up the stairs. When the hallway branched left and right, they split off into their respective groups.

Dedue was the first to enter the room the men would stay in and surveyed its contents with a critical eye. It was small and rather plain, lacking furnishings besides a stubby nightstand and two small beds against the far wall.

He regarded the beds with resigned dismay. It was obvious that he was too tall for either of them.

Ashe and Felix peered around his back, the latter less blatant about it that the former. “We’re going to have to share,” Ashe remarked. Felix made a grumpy sound in assent.

“I will take the floor,” Dedue said, and dumped his pack by the door. Neither Ashe nor Felix protested this decision.

Despite the unfortunate necessity of sharing beds, it should be easy to decide who goes with who. Going off size for the four other men, the best choice would be Dimitri with Felix and Sylvain with Ashe. However, Felix would never agree to share a bed with Dimitri, leaving Dimitri with Ashe or Sylvain as a bedmate. Again, based on their heights, he would fit best with Ashe. But if Sylvain were to follow familiar habits and find another bed to share for the night, it would be nice if Dimitri could get a bed for himself.

Ashe deposited his own pack next to one of the beds, staking his claim, and knelt so he could rifle through his things. He spoke as he did so, filling the silence that Dedue and Felix naturally lapsed into. “I’m soaked to the bone. The only good thing the storm did was wash away all the blood.” His tone dropped at the end of the sentence, betraying the grimness he felt. This wasn’t the beginning of the school year, however. Ashe had seen enough bloodshed since then to rally again quickly. “Either way, dry clothes and warm food will go a long way to get me back to normal.

That was a good idea, actually. Dedue bent down to dig out dry clothes as well, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Felix drop his bag by the second bed and do the same.

While they were all changing, familiar footsteps arrived at their door, and a polite knock sounded. As close to the door as he was, Dedue could make out some snippets of conversation.

“...I didn’t know that you were interested in becoming a wyvern rider. You’ve been doing well on horseback.”

“Yeah, I know. But sometimes it would be useful to have two fliers over two cavalry. Remire Village, for example.”

“Ah. I see.”

“So the professor will probably put me on sky patrols with Ingrid, leaving you alone on stable duty. Hey, maybe you could get Dedue to help you there.”

“I’m not so sure about that. For some reason, horses and Dedue do not mix well. I would be up for it otherwise. Actually, we did pair up once before for weeding duty. Did you know—” 

Dedue slipped on his shirt and opened the door, interrupting the conversation before Dimitri could embarrass himself in front of Sylvain. “Your Highness. Sylvain.” He greeted.

“Oh, hello Dedue,” Dimitri returned, while Sylvain gave a friendly ‘hey’. Dimitri appeared briefly off-guard by the sight of his classmates in various states of undress, but he and Sylvain entered and closed the door behind them. 

“Dinner will be ready soon, so we can head down when you’re all dressed,” he said. He looked away from Dedue and finally noticed the beds, or lack thereof. A grimace crossed his face. “I apologize. I was under the impression there would be more beds.”

Sylvain shrugged with a lazy smile. “Nah, it’s fine, Your Highness. We’ll all just have to get cozy.” He crossed the room in two steps and caught Felix with an arm slung around his shoulders, dampening his dry clothes. “It’ll just be like when we were kids. Do you still cling to whatever warm body is available?”

Felix violently shoved his arm off. Was that a hint of red on his face? “That’s none of your concern. You’re sleeping with the boar.” In emphasis, he picked up his bag and joined Ashe by his bed, who looked startled but didn’t object to his presence otherwise.

“Actually, I will take the floor.” Dimitri said. Dedue turned to give him a surprised look, but Dimitri promptly set his bag by Dedue’s with no sign that he cared how unbefitting this was.

“Oh, that’s not necessary. If you don’t want to share with Sylvain, then I can.” Ashe said.

Felix opened his mouth to express his opinion on that, but Dimitri cut him off. “Thank you for your offer, but it is not about bedfellows. I simply wish to sleep on the floor over a bed tonight.” Dimitri tilted his chin up with a stubborn set to his features. Dedue could tell there would be no convincing him.

“Alright. It’s just that… Will you and Dedue both fit on the floor?” Ashe said, a hand to his chin.

Dimitri whipped around to face Dedue. “Oh, I didn’t realize. Did you already speak for it?” At Dedue’s nod, Dimitri opened his mouth to say something, then looked at the beds, then reconsidered. “We should both be fine. There is more room on the floor than there is on the beds, after all.”

That was true, but only by a narrow margin. “If you say so, Your Highness,” Dedue said.

Sylvain had a wide grin on his face. “Does that mean I get a bed all to myself? No complaints there, thank you Your Highness.”

“No,” Felix snapped. “You don’t deserve it, and Ashe doesn’t deserve to deal with you. He gets the free bed.”

“Oh, um. Thanks?” Ashe watched with an air of confusion as Felix returned his bag to its original spot next to the other bed.

Sylvain looked more smug than someone having to share a bed with Felix should look. “Well then, it looks like your sleeping habits are my concern after all. Are you going to answer my questions now?”

“Shut up.” With that succinct reply, Felix belted his sword at his waist and stomped out the door. Sylvain followed soon after, clearly intent on needling Felix some more. Ashe shot Dedue a hesitant look, but when Dedue gave him a nod, he left the room as well with a brief farewell.

Dedue watched as Dimitri took off his damp blue cape and draped it over the bedpost at the end of Ashe’s bed. “Your Highness,” he said, and saw Dimitri’s back straighten at his title. “You truly do not want to take one of the beds?”

“Yes.” Dimitri looked a little sheepish. “If you think we cannot both sleep on the floor, then I will sleep elsewhere. The stables, perhaps. Buttercup wouldn’t mind the intrusion.”

As nice as Buttercup was for a war horse, Dedue would not let Dimitri sleep in the  _ stables. _ He hurriedly shook his head. “You don’t need to go that far. There is plenty of space here, and I have no objections to sharing the floor. But if I may ask, what has changed? You have slept on inn beds before. Are these somehow not to your standards?”

Dimitri raised his eyebrows. “What standards? The beds look fine, I just don’t want to share—” 

He cut himself off mid sentence, but it was enough of a hint for Dedue to take a different tract. “If you want a bed all to yourself, I’m sure we can arrange something.” By arranging something Dedue meant encouraging Sylvain’s worse habits, but Dimitri didn’t have to know that.

“I am not selfish enough to use my station as leverage for better treatment,” Dimitri said in a terse tone. His jaw visibly clenched for a moment, but he stopped and took a different track. His expression instead melted into one that was almost desperate and he gentled his tone. “Look, Dedue, it’s honestly nothing. Can you indulge me in this? At least for tonight?”

In the face of such a look, Dedue was helpless. “If that is what you wish, Your Highness.”

Dimitri heaved a relieved sigh. “It is, Dedue. Thank you.” He gave Dedue a small smile, but when they left for dinner soon after, Dedue still couldn’t help but worry.

* * *

During dinner, consisting of stir-fried vegetables and roasted chicken, Dedue’s attention was split between the casual conversations taking place, and the vague theory he had on the cause of Dimitri’s puzzling behavior. If it was what he thought it to be, he was at a loss on how to assuage him. In the end, he simply sat close to Dimitri, and did his best to offer support through merely his presence.

The bedding arrangements came up briefly, but only on the women’s side. They had only two beds as well, but unlike the men, they had no trouble deciding on Annette and Mercedes taking one bed and Ingrid sharing the other with the professor. On hearing that, Sylvain took the opportunity to tease Ingrid mercilessly. Apparently, she had the tendency to worm her way on top of the covers and sprawl over anyone unfortunate enough to be in the same bed. Ingrid countered with the fact that Sylvain kicked in his sleep, as if he was trying to dance on someone’s stomach.

That led to further discussion of people’s sleeping habits. Felix used to and still might cling like an octopus, Annette sleep-talked, Mercedes got terrible bed heads, and Ashe’s siblings often commandeered his supposedly-comfier bed at home.

Fortunately, Dimitri did not come up in the conversation, and while Ashe brought up Dedue taking the floor tonight to everyone’s sympathies, none of the men mentioned that Dimitri would be joining him. Thankfully, they had all separately decided to be discrete on the matter. Though on Felix’s end, it was more likely that he just didn’t care.

Sylvain slipped away from their table halfway through dinner while Ingrid and Dimitri were occupied with food and conversation with the professor respectively. Dedue saw him flit between a couple tables and chat up some female strangers, but he slunk back to his seat as everyone was cleaning up. His mood was reminiscent of a fisherman returning with an empty net. It looked like that avenue to get Dimitri a bed to himself was closed.

Dinner time had not changed Dimitri’s mind, and after bidding the women good night, they were both setting up their bedrolls on the floor. Dedue had intended to leave space by the wall for Dimitri and take the spot in the middle of the room that would leave him vulnerable to being stepped on. Dimitri ended up putting his bedroll in the latter spot first, however, leaving Dedue to hesitate over asking Dimitri to take the better location instead. In the end, he relented without a word and set his bedroll by the wall. At least this way he would be closest to the door. In the small chance something happened, he could act as the first line of defense. 

The bedrolls didn’t end up exactly side-by-side. They left a sizable gap between the two bedrolls so the others could slip between them to reach the beds. It had the unintended side effect of leaving Dedue feeling a bit bereft of company though, especially compared to how Felix and Sylvain were squeezed into bed together. The two of them and Ashe were against the opposite wall, and Dimitri in his bedroll was distant enough that they couldn’t be considered bed mates. Or floor mates.

Dedue put the overly sentimental thoughts out of his mind. The room was crowded with five men in a space intended for two. They were not lacking for proximity.

Once all five of them were ready for sleep, Ashe leaned over to the candle on the nightstand and blew out the small flame. “Good night, everyone,” he said in the abrupt darkness. The others echoed him, except for Felix who let out a sleepy grunt instead. The room soon filled with the rustling of blankets as everyone settled in their bed and bedrolls. 

Dedue rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. After the day’s events, he was exhausted enough to quickly fall asleep.

* * *

Dedue’s transition from asleep to awake was akin to the feeling of tripping over a step. He was greeted with the sight of the room coated in a soft black, with moonlight spilling through the window.

He blinked blearily as the memory of his interrupted dreams faded away. He wasn’t sure why he was awake, and was about to close his eyes again when he heard a subdued, familiar sound.

He turned his head towards the source. Towards Dimitri.

The other boy had his eyes squeezed shut and his face screwed in a grimace. His breathing was rapid and shallow through his clenched teeth, mostly quiet except for a short, high-pitched whine that occasionally escaped.

He didn’t remain still, either. As Dedue watched, he tossed his head and rolled from his side to his back. He threw out his arms with the motion, and his closed fists left the boundary of his bedroll to strike the bare floor with an audible thud.

Dedue quickly became more alert. He theorized earlier that Dimitri didn’t want to share a bed because his sleep would be fitful enough to wake a bedmate, but it was clear now his guess was an extreme understatement. If someone was in range when he unconsciously lashed out like this, they could be seriously hurt by his crest-given strength.

Actually, even if Dimitri had a bed to himself, he might just accidentally destroy it. The furniture in his dorm room was specially reinforced, including his bed. Normally, it was just to be cautious, since Dimitri usually minded his strength. When he was emotional or careless, however, it kept the church from having to replace the furniture on a regular basis. On that note, an inn bed would not stand a chance. He could pay for a broken bed of course, but it would be awkward to explain to the other Blue Lions.

Dimitri must’ve been suffering from nightmares more frequently of late to worry about such things. Dedue felt an ache in his chest stemming from a mix of sympathy and guilt. He should have seen this coming before tonight, especially after what happened in Remire.

He was pulled away from his thoughts when Dimitri groaned deep in his throat before mumbling, “I‘m sorry. I‘m sorry—”

It has been years since Dedue heard such a plea, but the reflex it invoked was too strong to resist.

Dedue slid across the floor towards Dimitri, closing the distance between them despite any potential danger. He laid on his side facing him and reached under his arms to draw him close in a gentle embrace. One hand fanned over his shoulder blades, while the other slid up to cradle the back of his neck, brushing along the short hairs there. Dedue touched his forehead to his, and whispered, “Shh, Dimitri.”

The name was awkward on his tongue, but in the moment it felt like the right thing to say. When Dimitri looked like this, sounded like this, Dedue could only flashback to past moments just like this. Back before they were vassal and prince. Back when they were just two scared boys, huddling together in the everlasting dark.

Dimitri jerked once in his arms, then went still. His eyes opened wide and momentarily reflected what light there was. “Dedue?” He whispered.

Dedue nodded, tilting Dimitri’s head as well with the motion. “I’m here,” he whispered in return as arms slowly raised around him and fingers dug into his back.

Dimitri let out a jittery sigh and relaxed in his hold. He briefly closed his eyes before opening them again half-way, his gaze distant yet fixed on Dedue. “I’m glad.”

Silently, they breathed together, Dimitri’s pace slowing to match Dedue’s calmer one. Dedue looked into his eyes, but Dimitri’s unfocused stare unnerved him enough that he broke eye contact, instead looking over the rest of his face.

It never occurred to him before how intimate it was to have his face so close to Dimitri’s, but now Dedue found himself absorbed in what features he could make out in the dim lighting. There were his long eyelashes that fluttered with his slow blinking, and the dark bags underneath. The ends of his bangs brushed against his cheekbones, and Dedue could feel warm air brush past him as he exhaled. 

Dedue’s eyes traced the ridge of his nose down to his mouth, noting how the corners of his lips curved down slightly. During the day, Dimitri might try to hide the stress and frustrations that ate away at him with a mask of polite smiles and pleasant expressions, but now he wore a tired, worn, and ultimately more honest face. Dedue only wished he could help alleviate his burdens so that his true face was more peaceful.

He caught himself staring at that frown longer than he should have. When he realized, he guiltily pulled his line of sight back up to Dimitri's blue eyes, their color washed pale in the moonlight. Dedue’s mind was still fuzzy from his abrupt awakening, which made it difficult to not let his eyes and thoughts wander. At least Dimitri gave no sign that he had noticed, meaning he was lost in his own thoughts. 

Either way, both of them needed to rest for the march back to Garreg Mach in the morning. That was, Dedue would be able to fall asleep, but Dimitri may only manage to doze the rest of the night away. Dedue chased away the seed of guilt the thought incurred. Staying awake in solidarity wouldn’t help Dimitri. He should sleep.

But first.

“Are you better, now?” Dedue whispered.

Dimitri blinked once more before his eyes finally focused on Dedue’s. He gave him a jerky nod and this time, Dedue’s head was the one to follow the gesture.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He didn't need to specify what he meant.

“No.” Dimitri said. His eyes slid fully shut, and he leaned more heavily against Dedue as he spoke. “But… Thank you. For being here.”

“Of course. Always.”

Dimitri gave a little sigh and fell silent. Dedue watched his quiet expression for a long moment before letting his eyes close as well.

They continued to lay there, pressed against each other. Perhaps propriety would insist that they break away, but selfish as it may be, Dedue couldn’t find it in himself to do so.

Instead, he drifted off with Dimitri in his arms and the sound of his breathing in his ears.

* * *

“...I don’t know, I think it’s kinda sweet,” Ashe said.

Felix made a loud disgruntled sound, and Sylvain shushed him. “C’mon Felix, you know as well as I that Dimitri needs all the sleep he can get, even if it’s in this dingy inn. At least he didn’t wake us up this time. Did you hear anything last night, Ashe?”

“Uh. No. What are we talking about?”

“The boar also needs to get up and pack his things. I’d like to leave sometime before noon. If he can sleep on the floor of a ‘dingy inn’, then he can sleep back at Garreg Mach.”

“Well, I don’t know if he’d have as nice a ‘bed’ back at school,” Sylvain said with a laugh. “Good company can make all the difference. Wouldn’t you agree, Felix?”

There was the noise of something getting knocked over and things clattering against the floor.

“Hey, if you mess up my stuff, you’re just delaying our departure. But if that’s your problem, then I can pack for Dimitri, and Ashe can pack Dedue’s stuff. Then we’ll wake them when we all go down for breakfast. How about it?”

The sound that left Felix this time was less annoyed. “Fine.”

“Ashe?”

“That’s fine with me. I can do that.”

The three of them shuffled about the room as Dedue, his eyes still closed, slowly gathered his bearings.

He laid on his back on the bare floor, which he would likely regret later. A warm weight was spread across his body, though he held it in place against his chest. Something soft tickled his neck and jawline.

He opened his eyes. The ‘something soft’ was Dimitri’s blonde hair, since his head was tucked under his chin. Additionally, Dedue had an arm wrapped around his waist that kept Dimitri from slipping as he laid atop his chest with their legs tangled together.

Dimitri’s mouth was open to drool on his collarbone, and to also let out a faint sound when Dedue shifted underneath him. One of his hands was wedged in Dedue’s armpit, while the fingers on his other hand twitched in his grasp on Dedue’s shirt. He must be close to consciousness. At least he managed to get more sleep after waking up halfway through the night.

Ah, he remembered now. Dimitri had a nightmare and Dedue comforted him. Afterwards, Dedue must’ve rolled completely off Dimitri’s bedroll in his sleep and took its owner with him. Dimitri had slid down too, enough for him to press his face against Dedue’s neck.

It wasn’t the most comfortable position for Dedue to be in, honestly. Nor was it the most discreet when they were in a room with three others. Yet as he watched Dimitri sleep against his chest, he couldn’t regret it.

Sylvain approached to grab Dimitri’s bedroll, but paused mid-motion when he saw that Dedue was awake. “Good morning, sleeping beauty number one. How’d you sleep?”

Dedue gave Sylvain a look. “Well enough,” he said curtly. “You?”

Sylvain shrugged his shoulders. “I’d say the same. Though, my morning would’ve started out a bit more pleasant if it had been a woman grabbing at me the way Felix was.”

Felix growled and threw his shirt from yesterday at Sylvain. From the satisfactory smack against his face, it was still damp. “I was only holding onto you to stay out of range of your feet! It was like you were a cat trying to kill something with its hind legs.”

His volume was not at all quiet, and Dedue could feel Dimitri stir. His hand pushed briefly against Dedue’s chest when he finally lifted his head, blinking slowly.

“...It’s morning?” Dimitri asked, his voice groggy from sleep.

“Barely,” Felix muttered.

Sylvain ignored him and spoke much louder, now that volume wasn’t a concern for everyone besides Felix. “Good morning, sleeping beauty number two! I’d ask how you’d slept but I’d say you probably got the best sleep out of all of us, besides Ashe.”

Dimitri squinted at him. The look on his face screamed that it was too early to deal with Sylvain. Dedue had to agree.

Sylvain wagged his eyebrows with a salacious grin. “I mean, I didn’t expect you to follow in Ingrid’s footsteps when you’re not even in a bed, but you do you. Or,” he added, “you do De—”

Fortunately for everyone, Sylvain included, Felix slapped a hand over Sylvain’s mouth and silenced him mid-word. “Shut up!” Felix said. “None of us want to hear your inane ramblings before we even had breakfast.”

At the same time, Dimitri finally realized the position he and Dedue were in. Dedue let him go the moment he began to flail, and Dimitri hurriedly rolled away with a blush on his cheeks.

Sylvain made some muffled sounds, but Felix didn’t acquiesce until he raised his hands in surrender. Felix released him with a small shove before slinging his packed bag over his shoulder and giving all of them a glare. “Hurry it up. I bet the women aren’t lollygagging like you are.” His eyes shifted to Dimitri with his last words. Dedue glared at Felix in Dimitri’s stead even as he turned and left the room.

The glare was then redirected at Sylvain. Dedue caught what Sylvain was going to say before being interrupted, and he did not appreciate being used to tease Dimitri. Sylvain didn’t appear bothered, however. Between Dimitri, Ingrid, and sometimes Felix, he must’ve grown immune to such lecturing looks.

“It’s funny how much he embodies Ingrid when she’s not around,” Sylvain said casually, never one to let a moment lie. He resumed picking up Dimitri’s bedroll and rolled it up. “But really, whatever makes you guys happy. I won’t say a word to anyone, don’t worry, and I’ll make sure Felix doesn’t either.” He gave them a wink before stashing the bedroll in Dimitri’s open bag and leaving after Felix.

The room was finally silent again. Dimitri just stared at his pack from where he sat, and Dedue just stared at him, until a small cough broke the tension.

“Uh, good morning Your Highness, Dedue.”

“Good morning, Ashe,” Dedue said when it was clear Dimitri was too mortified to speak. He nodded at his half-filled bag hanging from Ashe’s hand. “Thank you for helping me pack, but I can take care of the rest of it.”

“Oh, if you're sure. It wasn’t a problem at all.” Ashe gently deposited the bag on the ground. He fidgeted with his hands for a moment before blurting out, “I won’t tell anyone else, either.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” Dedue said. “You’re a good friend.”

Ashe was briefly surprised, but beamed at the compliment. “Thanks! You are, too.”

He hesitated a second longer before he collected his bag and the rest of his things in one smooth motion. “I’ll see you guys at breakfast, then. No need to rush, I’ll save some food for you.”

He closed the door quietly behind him, leaving Dedue and Dimitri alone sitting on the floor. Neither of them spoke for several seconds.

“I’m sorry,” Dimitri said. He sat there with a bowed head, avoiding eye contact.

Dedue raised his eyebrows. “For what?”

“I overstepped my boundaries. You shouldn’t have to comfort me like I’m still a child. I should’ve slept in the stables after all.” His words faded into a mumble, and Dedue had to strain to hear him properly.

“There is nothing to apologize for. Nightmares are not limited to only children and I was the one to initiate contact last night.”

“It is not your duty to be my pillow, Dedue!” Dimitri raised his head finally. His eyes blazed with heartfelt belief, as misplaced as it was. “Do not feel obligated to do more than a retainer should, just because I look like I need it.”

His words stung, though Dedue knew he didn’t mean them to. Dedue was the one to put distance between them, after all. He used his position as vassal as a shield against the court of Faerghus but Dimitri consequently ended up on that side of the shield too. There had been some guilt in the past, but since the pros outweighed the cons, he never regretted it. And in time, Dimitri came to understand why he held himself apart. At least, Dedue always assumed he had. But now...

He took a deep breath in and out. He couldn’t let this misconception of his feelings lie.

“I know I’m not obligated, Your Highness. My actions last night were not out of duty or pity, but because I care about you, and it pains me to see you struggle alone. You don’t deserve to suffer like that.” He pushed himself across the floor to kneel in front of Dimitri, once again closing the distance between them. “Please, let me be there for you. Don’t hide your nightmares, or yourself, from me.”

Dimitri watched him keenly as he spoke and let out an unhappy laugh afterwards. “I’ve always felt I’ve hidden away who I am from everyone but you. You’ve always been there when I was at my worst. Yet you don’t think I deserve these nightmares, these recollections of all my failures?”

“I know you don’t.”

Dedue’s calm answer cut Dimitri’s accusatory rant short. In the silence, Dedue slowly put out a hand to touch his arm, but Dimitri reached out in the manner of a drowning man grabbing a lifeline and held it gently in his. Dedue froze in place, very much aware that Dimitri wasn’t wearing his usual gauntlets; his touch was feather-light, yet his fingers were like iron bars for how unthinkable it was for Dedue to pull away. Contact between them was typically limited to pats on the shoulders, friendly nudges, or even leaning against each other. They rarely had skin-to-skin contact, but that wasn’t unexpected when one party constantly wore gloves. Last night was an exception to the rule, and it appeared this morning would be one as well.

There was a pause as Dimitri recovered his train of thought. “I can’t say I agree, but I appreciate the sentiment. I care about you too, you know." He said quietly.

Dedue briefly squeezed his hand in a quick twitch of his fingers. “I know.” 

They lapsed into silence again, sitting together in the middle of the small room. It felt larger when it held only the two of them.

“...Last night reminded me of when we were children,” Dimitri said. “Back when you called me by my name, we shared the same bed, and no one told us no yet.” Dedue nodded for him to go on. “Do you miss such times?”

Dedue mulled over his response. “I do not. They may have been the first moments of peace after what happened, but I was naive and lost back then. I felt powerless against all the people of Faerghus that took one look and judged me before we exchanged even one word. I had only you. But I am wiser now, and surrounded by people who accept me. Not to say this year doesn’t have any hardships, but we do not face them alone.”

Dimitri hummed in consideration. He adjusted his grip on Dedue’s hand so that it rested in his cupped hand, as if he was holding the larger hand up, and studied his calloused palm and fingers. “I suppose I feel the same way. People have always accepted me, but they never really knew me. I prefer our classmates and the professor to nobles I’ve interacted with for years, and our troubles have only strengthened our bond. Still… I miss how close we were, when we were young.”

Hearing that struck Dedue with guilt. He turned his hand so he could hold Dimitri’s fingers once more. “Perhaps we can change that.”

Dimitri raised his head up to meet his gaze. “What do you mean?”

Dedue slowly, painstakingly, intertwined their fingers together one-by-one, giving Dimitri plenty of time to draw his hand back even though there was no sign he would do so. Half of Dedue’s attention was on the scars he could feel on Dimitri’s fingers, while the other half went to his blue eyes. “My door will always be open to you, no matter the time,” he said. “Whenever you have a nightmare or just cannot sleep, feel free to come visit me. Do not worry about waking me up; I would prefer to be awake with you there than for you to stay away and suffer alone. Then we can share my bed, like we used to. Like we did last night.”

Dimitri had gone red, though he tried to hide his face behind his bangs. Dedue could feel his own face heating up as well. He always prefered to speak plainly, but this was still a bit much for him, as necessary as it was to say.

“I-I see. I’m agreeable to this, so long as you know that the same offer is available to you, too. If there’s anything you need from me, whether it’s something I can help with or just my company, don’t hesitate to ask. Please.”

“Very well, Your Highness.” Dedue squeezed his hand once, in place of a handshake. Dimitri squeezed back.

“One more thing,” Dimitri said, a thread of steel creeping into his tone. “Don’t let me hurt you.”

“You won’t hurt me,” Dedue reflexively replied. For all the rage Dimitri cultivated against the unknown perpetrators of the Tragedy, he had never taken it out on Dedue. Dedue had only ever been a witness, not a target, and he believed that the good in Dimitri’s heart, buried as it was beneath his ghosts, would keep it that way.

Dimitri shook his head, his lips thin and brow furrowed while his eyes narrowed the slightest amount. Gone was the blushing prince. “It’s not about you trusting me, it’s about me trusting myself. What you did last night was kind of you, but at the same time it was very foolish. I could’ve injured you. If I had… I would never forgive myself.” He held Dedue’s gaze and the darkness behind his eyes added weight to his words. “So, please. If I come to you but there’s the chance that I could hurt you, don’t stay for my comfort. You could think of it as staying away for my peace of mind, instead.”

Dedue maintained eye contact as well when he nodded. “I understand, Your Highness. I won’t let you hurt me.” It was only after he said the words that he realized that wasn’t quite true. If Dimitri was suffering, would he actually stay away even with the risk of danger from Dimitri himself? Of course not. It was his duty, and his desire if he were to be honest, to be at Dimitri’s side and protect him, no matter the personal cost to them both. Well, he would just have to make sure it never came to that, then. He knew that Dimitri would never hurt him on purpose and he would be careful when there was the chance of it happening accidentally, but he wouldn’t let it stop him.

Dimitri briefly closed his eyes and sighed in relief. The sound caused a pang of guilt in Dedue’s chest. “Thank you, Dedue. You truly are a comfort.” His eyes, when he opened them again, shone with earnestness, and Dedue had to look away lest he be blinded.

They sat like that with those words lingering in the air for several heartbeats before Dimitri reluctantly let go of Dedue’s hand to stand up. “We should get ready. Ashe may have said to take our time, but I don’t want to keep everyone waiting for too long.”

Dedue nodded and got up to his feet as well. The two finally started getting ready for the day in peaceful silence.

Ashe was a tidy packer, but he still organized things differently from Dedue. He squared everything away easily enough, yet he couldn’t find his hair tie.

Dimitri politely cleared his throat. When Dedue turned, he stuck his hand out with the missing hair tie in his palm. “Sylvain made something of a mess when he packed my things. I believe he just grabbed everything in reach, including this.”

Dedue thanked him and took it to do up his hair in his usual style while Dimitri picked up his house leader cape. The heavy material was still damp, and a grimace passed over his face as he looked it over. Still, he swung it over his shoulders and buckled it in place. As he moved, it flopped against his back in an inelegant manner.

“Ready to head down now?” He asked, standing by the door.

Dedue took one last look around the room to make sure he, or any of the other men, had left anything behind. Satisfied that there was nothing, he joined Dimitri at the doorway, only for Dimitri to pause with his hand on the doorknob.

“Dedue, I want to say thank you again. For last night and everything.” He said. “I feel like I can never say that enough.”

Dedue suppressed the reflex to immediately fall back into his role as his vassal and dismiss the thanks. He instead replied, “You are always welcome.”

* * *

When they made it downstairs, the other Blue Lions were in the middle of breakfast. There was enough porridge, fried eggs, and toasted bread that Ashe didn’t actually have to save them any food, but he had two extra plates of food by his place at the table all the same. Dedue approached him and accepted both plates with a word of gratitude.

Ashe stopped him from immediately leaving with a hand on his wrist. “Are you guys all good?” He asked in an undertone. Dedue nodded, unsure where Ashe was going with this. “Okay. Well, Felix and Sylvain didn’t wake up from the noise last night, but I did. I didn’t really pay attention!” He quickly added when Dedue frowned in reflex. “It’s just that I didn’t know His Highness sometimes had trouble sleeping before now. I’m not sure what I can do to help, but I’m here if he needs anything. Or you, for that matter.”

Dedue felt a burst of fondness at his words. Even if Dimitri ended up requiring nothing more than Dedue’s company to sleep easier, the offer was still a sign of how close the Blue Lions have become. “Thank you, Ashe,” he said. “I’ll let you know if there is something.”

“Sure. You know, seeing you guys this morning kind of reminded me of this one book. The king fell in a frozen river and his loyal knight kept him warm until help arrived by holding him close.”

Dedue willed himself not to visibly react nor to look Dimitri’s way at such a comparison. He did not know if he succeeded. “I see.”

“The author just left it at that, but I wouldn’t have minded if the book had delved further into their relationship. I’m sure the character of the king and all the other knight characters would’ve been fine with more, too. What do you think?”

Dedue believed he followed the metaphor and he appreciated what Ashe was saying, but he didn’t know how to respond. How could he, when he didn’t yet have an answer for himself?

He knew his feelings for Dimitri were more than what a vassal should have for his prince, and more than one would feel for a friend. Even so, they were unimportant in the grand scheme of things. There was schoolwork to concern himself with, and the various troubles that plagued their time at Garreg Mach. Then Dimitri would become king and Dedue would help him avenge his family and right the wrongs Duscur had suffered. What he felt had no place in all that.

With all that in mind, Dedue did not like to linger long on his feelings, but he was apparently more obvious about them than he realized. At least it was only Ashe bringing them up, not Dimitri. Still, forced to confront them now in the face of Ashe’s implied support, he found himself thinking. Not now, but perhaps after Dimitri accomplished all his goals… “Maybe someday,” he said, almost to himself.

Ashe gave him a gentle smile and thankfully ended the line of conversation at that. “Anyways, the food here is pretty decent. I’ll let you go eat now,” he said with a light chuckle.

Dedue fled to the other side of the table, taking a seat by Dimitri. “Did you sleep well last night?” He was asking the professor.

“Like a corpse,” she said. Dimitri’s polite expression slipped into confusion, which only grew when Ingrid mouthed  _ ‘not joking’ _ at him. “What about you?”

Dimitri furtively glanced in Dedue’s direction in a way that was not at all discrete before he turned back and gave the professor a genuine response. “Very well, thank you.”

When Dimitri’s lips curved up in a genuine grin as well, Dedue couldn’t help but smile into his food. He could only hope to see that face more often in the future.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm working on a follow-up and I have another idea after that, so I'm putting this in a series. I just have a thing for these two literally sleeping together, man. We'll see if I get there.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed it! Please consider leaving kudos and/or a comment if you did.


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